


Never Change

by LoudestWhisper



Series: LoudestWhisper's Badgermao Family series [2]
Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Cuddle, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sweet Ending, kiss, mention of abusive mother, nothing detailed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 20:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20823488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudestWhisper/pseuds/LoudestWhisper
Summary: When Mao Mao stumbles upon Badgerclops crying one night, he decides a talk is in order. What comes out of the discussion, though, leaves him shocked.





	Never Change

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning: Past verbal abuse is mentioned. Nothing gets super detailed, so there's no flashbacks or anything of that nature. Just wanted to give y'all a heads up.
> 
> Also, my previous Badgermao fic, Under the Stars, is mentioned once in here. You can check it out first, if you'd like, but you don't need to.

There were two things Mao Mao knew he sucked at: listening and saying the right thing. Unfortunately, the current situation demanded him to do both. It wasn’t often that he saw Badgerclops cry. At least, not because of something serious. That was partially what kept him lingering in the hallway on this cool autumn night, staying undetected by his co-hero who was silently sobbing on the couch. It was painful to see him like this. After years of traveling together, battling monsters, saving civilians, they formed a bond that was practically unbreakable. And it was a bond that, just recently, blossomed into something more than just friendship. 

Mao Mao thought for a moment what the appropriate course of action should be. He didn’t want to startle Badgerclops, so strutting in and instantly confronting him was out of the question. Of course, he knew he couldn’t ponder this for too long. That would mean an increased chance of being spotted. Nothing could be more awkward than that. So, he simply decided to wing it. Being sure that his footsteps were audible, he made his way into the room. He didn’t immediately go to the sofa, though. Instead, he nonchalantly went over to the countertop to grab a few cookies from the cookie jar. 

Noticing his entrance, Badgerclops wiped his eye quickly. “Er, Mao! Hey. Uh, w-whatcha up to, man?” 

Mao Mao shrugged, took a bite, and walked to him. “Just getting a midnight snack.” He wasn’t the greatest at lying, but he gave it his best effort. After all, he couldn’t let on that he’s been watching him bawl for the past few minutes. 

“You? Having a snack this late?” Badgerclops jokingly put his hand on Mao Mao’s forehead. “Hmm, you don’t seem to have a fever.”

“Oh, be quiet.” 

Badgerclops chuckled. Then all was quiet. He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uneasily. “Well, um, I guess I should head to bed. Soooo….good ni-”

“Actually,” Mao Mao interrupted. He took a moment to clear his throat. “How about we..you know...sit out front and...talk? If that’s alright with you, of course.” 

_ Smooth. Real smooth._ He said to himself. 

“O-okay? Sure. I could use some fresh air, anyway.”

Mao Mao nodded and followed behind him. As the two stepped outside, a gust of crisp air welcomed them. They quietly shut the door and settled on the porch. High above was the full moon, veiled by a few thin clouds. Though the sky wasn’t clear, patches of stars still glimmered brightly. It was all so beautiful. Mao Mao would have enjoyed the view a bit longer if there wasn’t something much more important to focus on. 

Badgerclops felt someone gently nudge his shoulder and saw that he was being offered a cookie. He smiled. “Thanks.”

Mao Mao shrugged. “No problem.” He fidgeted slightly, trying to find the proper words to say next. _ Here comes the hard part. _ He thought. The crying was something that needed to be addressed. Yet, there was some hesitation. The chance that he’d do something wrong was fairly high. Badgerclops was sensitive. That was a trait that doubled as a strength and a weakness. It also didn’t help that Mao Mao could be a bit inconsiderate at times. It’s not that he didn’t care. He simply had a hard time giving undivided attention, especially when something personal was being discussed. Those sort of moments just felt weird to him. Not bad, necessarily. Just weird. However, it would be worse if he completely ignored the situation. 

Finally, he looked over to Badgerclops. “Tell me what’s wrong.” There was no ‘Are you okay?’ because that was a question that’d be easy to squirm away from. He’d done it numerous times himself. Besides, it was obvious that things weren’t alright. No use in implying otherwise. 

Badgerclops stopped mid-chew. Such a statement was bold coming from Mao Mao. He swallowed. “You, uh, saw that, huh?”

Mao Mao nodded, saying nothing.

“Okay, well, I guess the reason I got in that mood was because...I got a call from my mom a little bit ago. Almost right after you and Adorabat went to bed.” He turned and noticed the panicked expression on Mao Mao’s face. “D-don’t worry! It’s not what you think! No one died or got hurt or sick or anything.” 

Mao Mao relaxed. “Thank goodness for that, but what DID make you so upset then?”

Biting his lower lip, Badgerclops said “You might think it’s stupid but-” Before he could finish, he felt an arm wrap around his back and a head lean against his shoulder.

“No I won’t.” murmured Mao Mao, nuzzling him slightly.

A light blush spread across Badgerclops cheeks. “Thank you, Mao. I appreciate that.” Taking a deep breath, he went on. “I always dread getting calls or letters from my mom. Like, don’t get me wrong. She loves me and all, at least I think so. Yet she sorta...doesn’t get me. Growing up, I was kinda the black sheep of the family. It...definitely made me feel like an outsider. And to this day, she still doesn’t understand that I’m not like her. Or my step-brother. Or dad.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I am starting to wonder if she even really tries, to be honest. It’s practically panic-inducing whenever she contacts me. The things she says, even now, get under my skin.”

A scowl quickly flashed across Mao Mao’s face and was undetected by Badgerclops. He did his best to keep his voice even as anger pulsed through him. “I’m...I’m sorry she did that...that she apparently still DOES that.” 

“Yeah…”

For a while, they simply sat there in stillness. Mao Mao rubbed Badgerclops’ back in small circles and lightly nuzzled him. Part of him, admittedly, wanted pry for more information. They knew each other for years and the topic of mothers rarely came up. Whenever it did, he noted how Badgerclops would appear a bit uncomfortable. Now he could see why. 

“And…” Mao Mao was jolted from his thoughts when Badgerclops continued speaking. “Looking back, she was the only one that made me feel that way. My dad was great, man While my brother was a jerk on occasion, he still cared about me. Neither of them ever made me feel like a freak for simply being who I am. Only her…”

“You know, you aren’t obligated to talk to her.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he silently swore. He meant to imply that Badgerclops didn’t owe his mom anything, that there’d be no shame in cutting her off. Instead, he came off as rude and dismissive. “W-what I mean by that is-” 

“Hey, relax.” Badgerclops reached over and intertwined his hand into Mao Mao’s free one. “I know what you’re saying. Yeah, I’ve thought about doing that. The thing is, though, I feel like I’d be distancing myself from the rest of my family as well. I’d have to put up with a lot of invasive questions and comments. Not everyone knows about all the messed up stuff she’s done. At least, not to the full extent.” He let out a deep breath. “Plus, whenever I consider putting my foot down, I almost instantly feel bad. Like, I’m the one being a jerk. She’s got that effect on me. Always has.”

“I definitely know what that’s like.”

He gave a curt nod in acknowledgment. “Growing up, I was insecure. I was so scared of being rejected by others that I’d pretend to be someone else. To be honest, I think that’s why I went through so many phases as a teen. I was trying to find somewhere to belong. All I knew was that the real me wasn’t good enough for anybody.” Badgerclops sighed. “But even then I could just...never fit in, y’know? It’s like I was a puzzle piece that didn’t seem to have a match. When I saw people, whether it be cliques at school or families, I felt so...isolated. Seeing others talk, laugh, and just...understand each other was something I was always jealous of. I wanted to be part of it. But I couldn’t. It felt as if I was always doomed to observe and never participate, that, well, I was on the outside looking in.”

It was in this moment that Mao Mao wished, with all his might, that he could make all of Badgerclops’ pain go away. He imagined himself giving the lousy excuse of a mom an earful. Though, even if he could do that, he knew it wouldn’t make all the suffering and self-doubt Badgerclops went through suddenly vanish. The past can’t be erased. Healing takes time, hard work, and support. While he couldn’t avenge him, at least not right then, he could do something equally important. He rose to his feet, stood in front of Badgerclops, and wrapped his arms around him in one swift motion. 

“M-Mao?”

“I’m sorry.” he answered, his voice slightly muffled from having his head buried into his chest. “If I could go back in time and prevent this from ever happening to you, I would. You didnt deserve any of that. Those horrible things she said about you...they weren’t true. Not in the slightest. And I, um, understand if this doesn’t mean much coming from me, since I’m not family, but I...I think you are amazing, Badgerclops. I couldn’t ask for a better co-hero, a better companion.” He swallowed. “I love you for who you are.” _ Ugh. That last bit sounded like it came straight out of a little kid’s show. Great. _

Such a worry quickly faded away when he felt the hug being lovingly returned. “...Thank you.” His voice was shaky, as if he was about to sob. 

Mao Mao hummed in response and gently tightened the embrace. _ Yeah, she’s definitely going to pay for this. _

If someone were to ask Badgerclops to pinpoint the exact moment he fell in love with Mao Mao, he’d be torn between two answers. One would be the first time Mao Mao made him feel like he could be himself. The second would be when he tried his special hot chocolate recipe. To be honest, the former scenario made much more sense. It occured not too long after they met. He can’t recall exactly what he said, most likely a cheesy joke, but he does remember how Mao Mao chuckled in reply. Not in the pitying kind of way, either. He also rembers how he looked at him warmly, clapped a hand on his shoulder, looked him straight in the eye and said “Clops, never change.” It was the first time he felt truly seen for who he was. 

For a few minutes, the two stayed like that and held each other. It felt nice and Mao Mao would have been content to stay like that for much longer. Yet, Badgerclops eventually loosened the grip. Before pulling apart completely, he placed a soft kiss on Mao Mao’s cheek. “Oh, and you were wrong.” he whispered. 

“Uhhh...huh?” Mao Mao said, trying to compose himself after recieving the gesture of affection.

“You’re wrong. About the sentiment not meaning much to me since we’re not related. I’m actually really, really happy to hear that, to know that I mean just as much to you as you do to me.” 

“I, er...thanks.” he mumbled as he placed his hand over the kissed side of his face, a small smile forming all the while.

“Well,” Badgerclops said suddenly, rising to his feet and stretching. “We should go back inside. Brrrrrr. It’s getting chilly, man.” 

“Good idea. The last thing we need is to catch a cold. After all, heroes-”

“Keep themselves in perfect health, blah, blah, blah. You really need to let that go.” He stated as they walked back into the front room.

“Hush.” 

Badgeclops snickered then plopped down onto the couch. 

“Wait, aren’t you going to bed?”

“Nah, not quite tired. Besides, I wanna catch up on some of my favorite shows.”

“Oh, alright then.” Mao Mao remained frozen, as he didn’t want to leave. He also didn’t want to be a bother. “See you in the mor-”

“You know,” interrupted Badgerclops “You don’t have to wait for me to give you permission. If you wanna join me, then go ahead. I don’t mind.” 

Without saying another word, Mao Mao went over to the sofa and sat right down next to him. The TV blared on and Badgerclops nearly lept for the remote to turn the volume down. He looked over to see that he was being glared at. 

“Sorry! I forgot that I was playing my video game on full blast earlier.” he whispered.

Mao Mao only rolled his eyes and turned his face back to the screen. The next thing he knew, Badgerclops was laying his head down on his lap. He nearly jumped from surprise.

“Uh, you okay?” he asked. Of course, he didn’t really mind. It was simply unexpected.

“Shhh. You’re comfy.” Badgerclop turned his head so that he was facing upward. He then narrowed his eye as if he were inspecting something. “Hmm, you got some cookie crumbs on your face, Mao.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s right there...No, to the left...Just, ugh. Lean down. I’ll get it.”

Mao Mao, a little flustered, did as requested. 

Badgerclops rubbed his thumb against Mao Mao’s chin. Then, he lightly stroked his lower lip and felt his breath hitch. They looked at each other for a second before Badgerclops closed the distance between them. The familiar warmth Mao Mao felt a few days ago, when they shared their first kiss under a starry sky, returned. They separated.

“Got it?” he murmured, still gazing into the other’s eyes. 

“Mm, no. You actually do have some crumbs on ya. They’re on your nose.” He chuckled lightly. “They’ve been there since you ate.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading my fic! I apologize that it took a while to get done. Hope you enjoy it! Have a good day!


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